After a pair of dramatic Game Sevens on Sunday, the matchups for this year’s NBA Conference Finals are set. The Warriors will face the Trail Blazers in the West, while the Bucks and Raptors will square off in the East.

While the Warriors’ presence in 2019’s final four is no surprise, the teams joining them there historically haven’t made a ton of deep postseason runs.

The Blazers, led by a backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, have made the playoffs for six straight years, but this is the first time this group has advanced to the Western Finals, and the first time any Portland team has made it that far since 2000. The last time the Blazers appeared in the Finals was in 1992, when Clyde Drexler‘s squad fell to Michael Jordan‘s Bulls. The franchise hasn’t won a title since 1977.

Like Portland, the Bucks haven’t appeared in the Eastern Finals in nearly two decades. In fact, coming into these playoffs, Milwaukee hadn’t won a single postseason series since 2001, when the club fell in the Eastern Finals to Philadelphia. The Bucks last appeared in the NBA Finals in 1974 and won their last – and only – championship in 1971.

While those title droughts are lengthy, Portland and Milwaukee can at least say they’ve won a championship. That’s not the case for the Raptors, who have never even appeared in the NBA Finals since entering the league in 1995. Toronto appeared in the Eastern Finals once before, in 2016, but has never gotten over the hump and represented the conference in the NBA Finals.

The Warriors, who have won three of the last four NBA titles, and the Bucks, who won an NBA-best 60 games and led the league in net rating this season, will enter the Conference Finals as the favorites. But it would be a mistake to write off the Blazers or the Raptors, who are battle-tested in this postseason after dispatching tough opponents in seven-game series. Kevin Durant‘s calf remains a question mark for Golden State, while Toronto’s veterans have significantly more playoff experience than the Bucks’ roster.

What do you think? Which two teams will end up meeting in this year’s NBA Finals?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to explain your predictions!

23 thoughts on “Poll: NBA Conference Finals Predictions”

I think Golden State will beat Portland, but i wouldn’t be shocked if the Blazers didn’t pull it off. Even with Durant healthy for GS, I think Portland has enough firepower and versatility to pull off an upset. Warriors in 6.

As for the East I think it’s a complete crap shoot. 2 of the leagues best players in Giannis and Kawhi are evenly matched. The series will be decided by the other stars/elite role players on the roster. Brook Lopez, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Eric Bledsoe all have the ability to tip the scales in a big way. I also think that guys like Malcolm Brogdon and Danny Green will be big. Raptors in 7.

I think the East will be a competitive series. I have Bucks in 6. Just because of home court and the fact they were 3-1 against Toronto in the regular season. Getting Brogdon back to 20ish mins per game will be a huge. Not to mention the contributions the Bucks are getting from Hill and Pat make them extremely deep. Warriors will win their series in 5 or 6

One of those wins against the Raptors Kawhi didn’t play, so they were really 2-1 against the Raptors. Furthermore, if Kawhi doesn’t miss 22 games for load management, the Raptors easily take the number 1 seed in the East. Raptors still have the best player in this series. I’ll go Raptors in 6.

Why does everyone think the Blazers are going to lose in 5 when the Clippers and Rockets both took the Warriors to 6? Now they’re without Durant. Portland won 2 games against them in the regular season this year and have lost 7 games in the last 3 months. I just have a feeling this is a special year for the Blazers. I have this feeling of calmness when I’m watching them play that simply has not been there since the LMA-Dame-Batum-Matthews-Lopez days. I know Paul Allen is so proud of this team.

That calm feeling is probably because Lillard & Mccollum typically dominate the flow of the game. Murray got his points but it takes Jokic to control things for Denver.
But Curry & Thompson is another matter. They do what it takes if thet doanything at all.

Portland’s frontline struggles to draw even and they don’t use Kanter to make up for what he gives away. Even with Durant out I think GSW has a frontline advantage.

And Stotts. When Kanter was getting burned early in gm7, why no put in Collins? And why is Harkless still starting ahead of Hood? Harkless played better “coming off the bench in the second half”” as the tv commentaters said.

I saw Boogie Cousins is supposed to be back. If so, and if he has no physical limitations might help the Warriors against the remaining teams’ big men. Without Cousins the Warriors are deficient against the remaining bigs. If Warriors can survive Portland and get Durant back for finals they can win. If it is the Warriors without Cousins and Durant – Curry and Thompson will need to be scorching hot from 3 to win. And, this season they have been inconsistent – hot one moment and cold the next.

The Bucks went 3-1 against the Raptors this season, but one of those wins Kawhi didn’t play, so really it was more like 2-1. If Kawhi doesn’t sit out 22 games for load management, the Raptors easily have the best record in the NBA over the Milwaukee Bucks. Bucks have home court and Giannis, but the Raps have the best player in the series. Coaching edge goes to the Bucks, as Nurse has been suspect these playoffs as a rookie coach. Experience to the Raps. Rest is a wash. These 2 teams are very evenly matched. I’ll go Raptors in 6

Like I said, if Kawhi didn’t sit 22 games, they easily would have. They finished like 2 games behind the Bucks with Kawhi missing 22 games. Yes the Bucks are more efficient offensively, but to say the Bucks are the superior defensive team shows you don’t really know squat. Toronto is by far the best defensive team in the league at the moment. Better than Milwaukee. Raps defensive numbers since acquiring Gasol back that up. And to the clown cesc who says Giannis is “sooooooooo” much better than Kawhi, you obviously don’t watch and or don’t know basketball. You can argue that Giannis is better (he’s not), but to say he’s “sooooooo” much better, that you can’t even say his name is the same sentence?? Obviously a clown statement. Raps in 6.

You’re kidding yourself if you think that Kawhi is better than Giannis. Giannis impacts the game in SO MANY WAYS. Scoring, Bounding, Assists, Steals, Blocks, etc. As for the rest of the team, the Raptors match up somewhat better than the Sixers would’ve, but the Bucks bench is still much better.

“…so really it was more like 2-1”. So now we can just discount wins and losses in our heads just because so and so didn’t play? What kind of delusional world do you live in? Using your logic the Bucks played 10 games without Giannis, so the Bucks should be 70-12. See how asinine you sound?